HUNDREDS of fruit fans enjoyed Lathcoats Farm's annual apple day on Saturday.
From apple-tasting to pie-baking competitions, visitors to the farm in Galleywood celebrated all that is great about the popular fruit.
And after the rainy weather has been tough on this year's apple crop, the organisers behind the day think Saturday's event was a "triumph".
Philip Taylor who runs the farm with his brother Stephen, said: "It was an amazing day.
"The support of everyone who came along was outstanding.
"We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope everyone else did."
Along with sampling some of the farm's finest apples, visitors enjoyed fun activities such as archery, donkey rides and even an apple peeling competition.
But the main event of the day was the apple pie verses apple cake competition, with more than 100 entrants participating.
The winner of the 'Best Tasting' award was Petra Howieson, of Chelmsford, with her apple cake made from a recipe from her mother, who died in February.
Mrs Howieson, 46, said: "I made two cakes, one was mine and the other was my mum's recipe, it was my mum's that won.
"I was up at 7.30 to bake the cake by 11, I was checking it every five minutes.
"It was very exciting and I was surprised at all the cake entrants, they looked great."
More than 2,000 people enjoyed the day, a 20 per cent increase on last year. And £400 was raised for the Essex Wildlife Trust from the 40 varieties of apple juice sold.
